Well to be honest the box isn't completely ticked but we have tidied up and made a start on planting one of the beds alongside the pond.
The bed is almost at my eye level when approached from one direction and so I thought that it would be an ideal place in which to plant short rockery type plants.
As a result each time I visited a local (well local to my sister), nursery, I have been collecting suitable plants that caught my eye. I still need one or two more but I figured that if I spread out my purchases they shouldn't all be at their peak at the same time.
Some of the plants had been sitting outside of the greenhouse in pots for a while and so I thought that we really did need to make a start before they spoiled.
The first job was to clear the bed of unwanted plants, some to be given away and others to move elsewhere in the garden. We did retain one plant for this bed, a small astilbe - chinensis pumila. It may seem an odd choice but it has lived in this bed for a while and seemed to like it so hopefully it will be happy.
Then there was the problem of an old conifer root. Martyn used a pickaxe to try and remove it but was restricted by the proximity of the surrounding walls. In the end we had to compromise and leave most of it in place.
I did suggest that we carve it into a little owl or something but that didn't go down too well!
We had some pieces of stone that have had various 'lives' in the garden over the years. Their most recent life has been to create a second level to this bed.
The soil had already had grit added but we needed to top up the levels with more soil and grit. Then all that was needed was to plant out the new occupants.
Hopefully some will eventually trail across the top of the wall.
One or two more plants will be added when I see something that I like and then we just need to decide on some sort of pebbly mulch.
See what I mean about eye level - well that is my eye level. Must buy a clay saucer for that hosta on the left!
I also intend to move the self sown hardy cyclamen growing on a lower adjoining ledge and plant in a similar way - hopefully in the not too distant future.
Posts
I really like that. It'll look great when the plants are a little more established.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you approve, Jo
DeleteOhh how exciting! Its going to look fabulous!! I love the Astilbe - what a pretty flower.
ReplyDeleteMust admit, Phoebe the astilbe isn't on flower yet - that photo was taken last year.
Deletethat's a big tick, just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of ticks outstanding Kirsty but it's always good to have one completed.
DeleteWell that looks really nice..I'm pretty sure that if I walked in your garden though I wouldn't be bale to see it at all!
ReplyDeleteI recognise a lot of the plants you have as ones I have planted on my rockery!
The owl carving made me laugh.....my dad said yesterday he wanted to cut my Mum's cherry tree down and carve something into the trunk so he wouldn't have to clean the leaves up in autumn...it was a definite 'NO!'
At least my suggestion was to carve something in a dead bit of trunk, Tanya.
DeleteI'm just under 5' 2" and I did exaggerate a little when I said my eye level. The good thing as well is that from the patio I am a good deal higher.
At least you reach 5'!!
DeleteI'm sure you make the most of it Tanya
DeleteNext time suggest something really bold like a skull. The if the answer is a no you can suggest something not so bold something like ... an owl. And it will have a much better reception.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea Mr F but Ithink the problem was the carving rather than the subject matter :)
DeleteGosh, what a transformation, well done. Do you have anything in the bed with scent seeing as you walk so close to it?
ReplyDeleteNO we haven't BW but that's a good idea maybe I'll look out for a small dianthus. Other than bulbs and thyme which I don't want there I can't think of another very small secented plants can you?
DeleteHow about Geranium dalmaticum which the RHS website describes as
Deletean evergreen perennial forming a low mat to 10cm in height, with glossy dark green, fragrant, deeply-lobed leaves and flat, clear light pink flowers 2.5cm in width
Something that delicate would be lost and swamped at Bag End but the fact that it's an evergreen gets my vote.
I think it may spread a little too much for the area BW. I know some of the ones that I have planted may need controlling too but the gaps that are left aren't very big.
DeleteHi Sue, I really like how that is all coming together. Will you have anything tactile you can trail your hand through as you walk past? I think the conifer stump makes quite a nice feature, even without being turned into an owl.
ReplyDeleteIt depends what I see really Janet although the top of the wall is quite high so it wouldn't really be a trailing hand more hand in the air!
Delete